Imranur, Shirin retain fastest titles as President honours sprint champions

 
Imranur Rahman and Shirin Akter reaffirmed their supremacy in Bangladesh sprinting, retaining the fastest man and woman crowns respectively at the Koko 18th National Summer Athletics Competition, where President of the country Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's presence added lustre to the national showpiece. 

Imranur, representing the Bangladesh Army, clocked 10.53 seconds to win the men's 100 metres at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday. Mohammed Ismail finished second in 10.66 seconds, while Tarek Rahman claimed bronze in 10.73 seconds.

Shirin maintained her dominance in the women's blue-riband sprint, crossing the line in 12.08 seconds. Sharifa Khatun took silver in 12.23 seconds, with Sumaiya Dewan completing the podium in 12.33 seconds.

The President presented medals to the champions, an occasion Imranur described as a special moment for both himself and the sport.

"Alhamdulillah, this is a special moment for me. I am proud to win gold for the Army," he said, adding that he had conserved energy with the 200m and 100m relay still ahead.

The UK-based sprinter also acknowledged that performances could fluctuate with preparation and other factors. Looking towards the South Asian Games, he stressed the importance of proper infrastructure and quality training to mount a genuine gold-medal challenge.

For Shirin, Friday's triumph marked her 18th national-level title. She credited her coach Abdullah Kafi, her family and other supporters for playing a part in her success.

"Success is never achieved alone; many people and institutions work behind it," she said.

Shirin, who also received her medal from the President, said the presence of the country's head of state was a tremendous encouragement for athletes. She is now intent on improving her timing and continuing her education, while exploring opportunities for advanced training abroad and pursuing a PhD.

Named in memory of sports organiser Arafat Rahman Koko, the three-day competition features 565 athletes from 57 organisations across 40 events. With the South Asian Games on the horizon, the championship offers a vital proving ground for Bangladesh's track and field prospects.